[CCCN Seminar Series]
The Dynamics of Caregiving in Singapore Family:A Comparative Perspective
Associate Professor Thang Leng Leng,
Department of Japanese Studies,
National University of Singapore
8 March 2010
10:30-12:00
Room 422, Lecture Building
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Map: http://www.tufs.ac.jp/info/map-and-contact.html
In the present Singapore, three-generational household is prevalent, in which the child(ren) is/are looked after by the grandparent(s) while the parents are going to work. This kind of multigenerational living signifies the local notion of care cycle, where the grandparents and the parents exchange the roles of caregivers and care recipients over the lifespan of the family. This care circle is also inseparable to the state ideology that regards the family as "the first line of defense", which would have at once contributed to the reduction of the cost to develop institutional elderly-care systems. Further, the presence of foreign domestic workers (FDWs), who are hired as “an extra pair of hands” complicates this cycle.
Then, how do grandparents and parents attempt to control their relationships with other parties in their care cycle? How do they set limits to, and show ambivalence in their expected care roles? To what extent can FDWs facilitate or cause friction to intergenerational relations as a pseudo family member? What’s more, how does the state intervene the local notions of gender, family and ideal mode of elderly care? This set of questions would be able to raise comparative perspectives of elderly-care systems between Singapore and Japan, which display many commonality yet with somewhat different orientations towards institutionalization of elderly-care system. Prof Thang will share the stories on her ongoing research in Singapore, by providing comparative insights on Japanese case where relevant.
Prof Thang is currently the Head of Japanese Studies Department at NUS, and her first book "Generations in Touch (2001, Cornell University Press)" discussed a multigenerational care institution named "Kotoen" in Tokyo, which attempted to combine nursery with elderly care. Her lines of arguments examined the significance of "the sense of reciprocity" found amongst the elders in Kotoen, not only being care recipients, but also providing care to the nursery children to different degrees. We will interrogate how such reciprocal expectation/appreciation to care for others activates elderly lives in Singapore and Japan.
This is an informal meeting designated for young (and not-so-young) scholars to exchange the ideas freely regarding broader reproductive work issues in a trans-Asian context. Due to limited venue size, we will receive 10 more participants on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested to join us, please RSVP by emailing to: sawai.shiho.dpf@tufs.ac.jp with your name, affiliation and field of interests. Those who have burning questions on the emerging care migration across Asia and its multidimensional impact on the local societies are particularly welcome!
Cross Cultural Care Network (CCCN)
The Mini-research Project
The Center for Multilingual Multicultural Education and Research (CEMMER)
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
